Sewing Against the Clock (or: filling the dress-sized gap in my wardrobe, Part Deux)

I fancied a day of sewing last Wednesday, and thought I'd try to make another dress to fill this summer-dress gap in my wardrobe. In light of my Me Made May pledge, I wanted to be able to make whatever it was from my stash, and given we didn't know how long the weather will stay nice, I wanted it to be quick! (sew, sew, quick before the rain comes!*)

I've posted before about Seamwork patterns. They're from Colette's online sewing magazine, and are all designed to be made in roughly 3 hours or less. Perfect for a quick make. I love my Mojis and my Astorias, so why not try another one?! The Adelaide dress is Colette's pattern of the month (which means discount!) and while I wasn't drawn to the pattern originally, I'd seen a couple of versions pop up that I properly loved. This one in kitty fabric is amazing. I'm still tempted to splurge on that fabric and have it sent from the US. 

So on Wednesday morning I decided to make the Adelaide. We had a friend coming over on Wednesday night for dinner, so I figured I needed to finish sewing at 5pm in order to have time to clean up and cook tea. That gave me plenty of time, even for a new pattern! Oh, did I mention that I hadn't actually printed the pattern out or pieced it together yet?! The 3 hour time suggestion doesn’t include the pdf faffing, but I reckoned I should still have plenty of time. I finish printing the pattern (37 pages) by 10.15am, and....I'm off! 

I manage to get the pdf cut out, taped together, and cut out again in just over an hour, but then I hit a glitch and had to race back down to the bloody craft shop as I’ve realized the pattern needs interfacing (which isn’t listed in the notions!! Grr!) and I’m out. This is my second trip to Hobbycraft for the day, as I'd been down there at 9am to buy bias binding and the snaps required for Adelaide. I furiously cut out the pattern pieces when I get back – I’m going so much faster than normal! I’ve got Netflix on in the background, but it’s washing over me and I couldn’t honestly tell you what has happened much in this series.  By 1.30pm I’m done (and have also made the pie filling and the pastry for dinner, and made and eaten my lunch). At 2pm, I finally start sewing. 

The sewing goes really well. In reality, there’s not that much to the dress (3 pattern pieces, darts front and back), but the placket is something I haven’t done in ages so I take a bit of time getting it right. The dress is shaping up! By this stage it’s 4pm, so I still have an hour to go to meet my own deadline of 5pm (which is also the 3 hour mark), and I reckon I can do it! I’m about to sew on the belt loops, but I decide to try it on first... 

...Doom! The dress is great – I think it’ll look really good, BUT the armhole is at least an inch too high. It’s unwearable – so tight and totally cutting me off under the arms. So frustrating. I start unpicking, but I’m out of bias binding, and by now it’s 4.15pm…there’s no way I’ll be able to redo the armholes and finish the rest of the dress by 5pm. My 3 hour challenge is a failure.

***

I finally get a chance to return to the dress on Friday evening. It's mostly done. All I need to do is cut down the armholes, make some bias binding (I need to stop buying the premade shit. It's so convenient but so expensive!), and then make the belt loops and belt (and hem the dress). Well. I don't know what kind of voodoo sewing magic other people can manage, but it takes me about a bloody hour just to turn the stupid belt loop piece out the right way! I'm wrangling a metal skewer in the end. But I've long since given up on the 3 hour thing by this point anyway, so I just concentrate on finishing before bed. In all I think I probably end up spending another 3 hours on the dress, so the 3 hour challenge didn't pan out - but the dress is still great! 

I made it in cotton swallow-print fabric I had in my stash, and realistically, I think it probably would be better in something with a bit more drape (as recommended). But I really like it! Perfect warm weather attire.

Being a dork and trying to pose cute with sunglasses and heels...and then realising you can see the ironing board against the window #classy

Bare feet, no ironing board, and happy in my Adelaide dress! Can you see how it doesn't sit flat at the top? Flaps a bit where I feel like it should sit flat. 

Alterations? I hacked about an inch and a half out from under the arms as discussed, and I cut a size 8 but used the size 10 dart. That worked well actually - the dart sits in the right spot but I think perhaps I need to lower the neckline a bit in future versions. It flaps a bit, and that's mostly boob-fit related. If it were an inch lower in the scoop, I think it would sit flatter on my chest. Or maybe it'll sit flatter in a softer draping fabric? Thoughts/advice? I'll also make the belt wider next time - the 5/8 seam allowance meant it came out quite skinny. 

The dress fastens with poppers rather than buttons which is partly how it can be considered a 'quick' make. I love the poppers, I do - so quick and convenient. BUT...I think I might try and use buttons instead on any future versions. The unfortunate thing about poppers is that they pop open easily. Like when you're bending down or getting in and out of of the car! Mostly it's only the bottom couple that pop open, but I've had a few situations when wearing this where, if I hadn't been wearing leggings, I'd have properly been flashing my undies. Eek! So buttons might be a tad less likely to result in wardrobe malfunctions! Also snaps are really expensive. This dress needs 13 of them (I used 12, not bothering with the bottom one), which is 2.5 packets of the Prym ones I bought. That means there's about £10 of poppers in this which frankly is more than I care to spend on notions for a dress. 

I have to say I'm really pleased with this dress, and glad I decided to make it. I've never worn a dress in this general style before, and it's got me thinking that maybe I could do the whole shirt-dress concept. And now that I know about the arm-hole fit thing, I'll be able to make my next Adelaide a lot more quickly. In fact, I have ordered my first fabric buy of the month to make another one! Hooked on Adelaide. 

Let's just hope all these summer dresses don't provoke the weather gods and send the sunshine packing! 

*Post-script: The rain has come (I'm now back wrapped up in my flannelette Mojis and Opal cardigan!). Clearly this run of summer sewing has tempted the weather gods. Sorry Britain - my bad! Oh well. If the sun comes back, I'm ready!